president george w. bush proposed a reduction in the capital gains rate. should she -- he have instructed the irs not to tax capital gains at a great greater than 10%? the point is not what you think of president obama's policy decisions. the point is, the president may not consistent with the command that he faithfully execute the laws, unilaterally amend, waive or suspend the law. we must resist the delivery pattern of circumventing the legislative branch in favor of administrative decision-making. we cannot allow the separation of powers enshrined in our constitution to be abandoned in favor of an undue concentration of power in the executive branch. as james madison warned, the accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive and judiciary in the same hands may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny. i introduce mr. conyers for his opening statement. >> top of the morning to my colleagues. the president's constitutional duty to faithfully execute the laws would be an important issue worthy of hearing by this committee if there was any ev